Parents and students occasionally ask what level of difficulty should a student aspire to in his/her reading selection. If a student can read every word of a book with ease, I would recommend finding a more advanced read. But if there are too many unknown words, the book will become too unwieldy to enjoy.

Here is a simple test to determine a book's readability. Choose a passage that is approximately 250-500 words. Photocopy the passage so that the reader and the recorder each has a copy. The reader reads out loud and the recorder makes note of errors. Divide the number of errors into the number of words read and you will get a percentage.

An ideal selection is one in which a reader will score in the 90-94% accuracy range. A 95% and higher indicates that the book is too simple. Scoring below a 90% means that the book is too difficult.

That being said, I would never tell students they cannot read a book that is going to be a challenge. On the other hand, occasionally, it's fun to read a high interest, simple book. Students should first find a book they will enjoy and feel motivated to read.